This Spanish white is about as "offbeat" as you will find in New Zealand. It came up in a tasting themed 'Not So Common' that I went to earlier this week.

Ossian Verdejo Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León 2007 - Spain13.5% alc. Cork Closure.Light gold in colour. Quite nutty - almond-like on nose - a hint of marzipan perhaps - and delicately floral. Very dry and lean to start with a lightly oily texture and bitter lemon and apple fruit with a sprinkle of white pepper and salt-infused zest. It then builds in vinosity and textural complexity to become quite rich on the long penetrating finish where a suggestion of tarragon-like herb lingers and adds intrigue. Made from grapes off 180-year old ungrafted organic grapevines, it was barrel-fermented and had 9 months in oak although I couldn't pick up the taste of oak in this wine.A project of Aalto’s Javier Zaccagnini and Burgundian enologist Pierre Millemann It is evidently one of Spain's great white wines and was inspired by Le Montrachet - although I couldn't see any resemblance to Chardonnay at all. But I really, really enjoyed this wine - until I saw the price - NZ$65 - and I then knew I would probably never taste it again. Will just have to imagine the delicate seafood that it would undoubtably pair perfectly to.Found another store selling it for NZ$80 = $US50. See what I mean.